The present invention is directed to an apparatus for leveling and smoothing a surface and, more particularly, to an apparatus for leveling and smoothing a surface, such as concrete, having a new and improved leveling blade.
A variety of tools have been developed for use in the concrete industry for leveling and smoothing the surface of freshly poured concrete. Such tools include screeds and trowels that vary in form from simply hand-held designs to relatively complex motorized units. Motorized trowels, such as those used in the concrete industry, generally have a blade having a longitudinally extending and centrally positioned backing bar welded or riveted or welded thereon. The backing bar is provided with threaded holes which are aligned with apertures through the trowel arm and adapted for receiving bolts for fastening the backing bar to the trowel arm. A motor is mechanically coupled to the trowel arm to move the blade across the surface of the surface being treated. Accordingly, the blades and attachment assembly are manufactured using multiple steps including stamping, punching, drilling and riveting/welding processes. It should be clear to one skilled in the art that in addition, attachment and removal of the blade from the trowel arm is relatively difficult and time consuming.
It is therefore desirable to have an apparatus for leveling and smoothing concrete having a new and improved blade and method of attaching the blade to the trowel arm. It would also be desirable to have a new and improved method of manufacturing a blade and attaching a blade that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and permits blades to be relatively easily mounted and secured to the towel arm of a conventional apparatus for leveling and smoothing a surface.